Rescue crews train with dolphin models in simulated coastal response drills

Marine animal rescue personnel carried out field drills simulating the coastal rescue of small cetaceans, practicing the capture, lifting and transport of a dolphin model under realistic conditions.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Sunday it held its "2026 Marine Animal Rescue and Treatment Education and Training Program" in Busan from Tuesday to Wednesday, bringing together field staff from 12 specialized marine animal rescue and treatment centers across the country.

The ministry has run the annual program, combining classroom instruction with hands-on field practice, since 2016. This year's edition focused on improving the real-world applicability of a new marine animal rescue and treatment manual currently under development, with an emphasis on response drills based on actual rescue cases.

On the first day, participants received instruction on the manual's key contents and discussed considerations for applying them in the field. The session also drew on the rescue of "Anmogi," an Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin retrieved from Gangneung Port in July, to walk through the actual rescue procedures and on-site decision-making involved. Feedback from participants will be incorporated into the manual's revision.

The second day moved to the comprehensive training ground at the Korea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology's Yongdang campus in Busan, where participants ran drills simulating a coastal rescue of small cetaceans. Divided into small teams, they worked through each stage of the rescue process — from approaching and capturing the dolphin model to lifting, transporting and stabilizing it on-site. The drills also tested role assignments and inter-agency coordination required in real rescue operations.

"Speed of judgment about an animal's condition and its surroundings, along with close cooperation among relevant agencies, is critical in marine animal field rescue operations," said Hwang Jun-seong, the ministry's director general for marine environment policy. "We will continue to share the hands-on experience gained during the Anmogi rescue with related institutions and reflect field feedback in the rescue and treatment manual on an ongoing basis."